#SproutChat Recap: Getting to Inbox Zero

by
Vera Flores

Anyone who manages social media knows that it can be difficult to keep up with incoming messages. From positive messages to timely complaints, it may seem like the incoming stream of messages never falls off. Inbox zero is a term that often applies to email, but the steps you take to achieve this can also be applied to your incoming social messages.

In this week’s #SproutChat, we honed in on how people tackle incoming messages, as well as discussing whether or not it’s necessary to respond to every message.

Inbox Zero for Social Media

Reaching inbox zero might seem like a unicorn of a concept, like a buzzword phrase thrown around by marketers. However, getting to inbox zero forces marketers to rethink their response strategies and take a step back to assess how necessary a response is for every message.

Not All Incoming Messages Require a Response

Social is a fast-paced environment and that’s goes double for brands. Sometimes it can seem as though getting to inbox zero is an impossible task for incoming messages. Acknowledging that every message a brand receives doesn’t always require immediate action can help free up time for social media marketers.

Prioritize by Importance

When putting together a social strategy, you’ll want to account for your response time and consider how you’ll go about responding to incoming messages. If you reply in chronological order think of the parameters for how long that task can take you.

Tackle Messages by Importance

It’s vital to respond to messages that require action, particularly if a brand provides a service to customers. If your brand does not have overnight support, check out some of the best practices that participants outlined for those “off hours.”

Join us for #SproutChat, next Wednesday at 2 p.m. CT, to discuss staying up to date with social trends. This will be a great conversation for 2018. Until then join our Facebook community to connect with other social media folks.